


Like Them

by Tahlruil



Category: Avengers Academy (Video Game), Avengers Assemble (Cartoon), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Dimension Travel, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Future Fic, Getting Together, M/M, MCU/AA/AvAc Crossover, Mild Language, Stony Bingo, Stony Bingo 2016, Superhusbands, Team Iron Man, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, not team Cap friendly, possibly a little OOC
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-08
Updated: 2016-12-08
Packaged: 2018-09-07 06:30:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8787244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tahlruil/pseuds/Tahlruil
Summary: Tony never really thought about there being another him somewhere - because he's one of a kind, and even the universe can only hold so much awesome. But time fog on his end and some tinkering elsewhere in the multiverse leads to him meeting two other versions of himself, and it's weird. He's just glad he's got Steve with him, and he guesses the other Tony's must be just as happy to have their Steve's too. Well, maybe one of them is kind of a dick...





	

**Author's Note:**

> For my 'Crossover: Marvel Verse/Marvel Verse' square. I added a bonus third 'verse though, because I had an idea at about four o'clock this morning and I still liked it when I really woke up a few hours later. XD
> 
> This takes place after CACW in MCU, at pretty much any point in AA and AvAc. The idea that Tony and Steve are married in AA is treated as being canon, so they are actually and very married during this fic.
> 
> Thanks so much for reading! Please, please comment? <33

“Actually, there’s probably a pretty simple soluti-”

“Shut up and work, _Stark_.”

“Easy there, soldier. You might want to watch your tone of voice.”

“It’s… it’s fine, Steve. Uh. Other Steve. I’m used to it. And this _was_ my fault.”

“I guess I should just be glad we don’t have _another Ultron_ on our hands. God Stark. Do you ever _stop_ with your egotistical shit? How can you-”

“Hey, not-my-Cap – back the fuck off and leave my counterpart alone, kay? Also, Ultron would have happened one way or another, so it’s not really entirely his fault. If I – he – fuck this is confusing. If Tony Stark hadn’t been involved, it probably would have been even worse, and it still would have happened. It’s a… what did he call it? It’s one of the touchstone events in the multiverse.”

“Cornerstone, Tony.”

“Whatever – the point is that it almost always happens, I don’t need to pay attention to the name of it. When Reed talks I kind of zone.”

“You really shouldn’t do that. It isn’t polite.”

“Are you _pouting_ at me on behalf of Reed _**fucking**_ Richards?”

“ _Tony_ , come on-”

“No. I want a divorce.”

“You don’t mean that, sweetheart. Stop pouting so we can figure this out and I can apologize properly at home.”

“I did mean it. I want a divorce. How _could_ you?”

“Wait. You married _him_?!”

“Wow, way to sound all judgmental Spangles. I’ll have you know we’re very happy. How do you put up with his shit, me-without-the-arc-reactor? I don’t think I could handle more than a few minutes at a time. Ooooh, want my Steve to punch him?”

“Tony. I’m not going to punch myself.”

“Really? Because not-my-Cap is kind of a massive dickwad and you usually don’t put up with that.”

“ **HEY**!”

“You are being pretty rude, soldier. And I don’t much like how you’re treating Tony. Uh, other Tony. The one without the arc reactor, I mean.”

“Thanks for not calling that Tony ‘his’, Winghead.”

“Well from I can see he doesn’t deserve a Tony. Not any of you.”

“Babe, you say the sweetest-”

“Cut that out. It’s nauseating, and we have more important things to worry about. … but how did it even _happen_? Is your Tony better at not being a complete fuck-uuUUHNNG!”

“… okay, so I will punch myself. Stay down, soldier, or I’ll put you down harder. And keep it zipped. … mmm… Tony, not now.”

“But you deserve kisses! That was sweet, and also really fucking _hot_.”

“Not the time, Shellhead. Later, I promise, when we’re home safe. Other-Tony… um. Non-reactor Other-Tony.”

“Anthony.”

“You _hate_ when anyone-”

“It’ll save on confusion, Cap. You didn’t have to punch Steve, you know. I am a fuck-up, and this mix-up really is probably my fault.”

“No it wasn’t, Anthony – and THOR I hate saying that name as much as I hate hearing it. But look. You were probably tinkering with something on your end that would have been fine, except I was _also_ tinkering, and in an unfortunately timed cosmic joke, those two dweebs-”

“Tony, be nice – they look nervous.”

“-were probably messing with something they weren’t supposed to be at the same time. All the tinkering and messing got the attention of the multiverse, and bam! Here we are. So, bitty-babies – what were you messing with so we can get to the bottom of this?”

All eyes turned their way, and Tony sorta wished they’d gone on arguing and continued to forget all about them. Well, not really, because this was all surreal and terrible, and hearing Dick-Steve be mean to Other-Tony made his chest ache… but now all that venom was focused on _him_ , along with three other pairs of eyes. Tony only managed not to take a step back because of the wall of solid muscle at his side – he wasn’t as nice as the one Steve, but his Steve didn’t hate him either, and would probably help keep him safe. Peeking up at said (much younger and handsomer) Steve, he found his Cap watching Dick-Steve with an unreadable expression, jaw clenched. Talking was clearly up to him, so he swallowed hard, then flashed them all a brilliant smile.

“Messing? Yeah no. I don’t ‘mess’. Look, I’m awesome and incredibly talented, and my tech is the best there is. No offense, fossil-me’s, but what I’ve got going on is pretty amazing. So we weren’t ‘messing’ with anything.” His Steve sighed behind him as both other Tony’s glared – didn’t faze him, not when he had people like the Widow and Amora glaring at him all the time. Dick-Steve was watching him with utter disgust, because he was clearly a prick with no sense of humor.

Meanwhile, Other-Other-Steve (the one Other-Other-Tony was _married_ to!!) looked downright amused. In fact, Tony suspected the large hand he’d brought up to cover his mouth in an attempt to look stern was actually hiding a grin. Tony beamed at him, always pleased to entertain, then found himself blushing when Other-Other-Steve _winked at him_.

“Um. Right. Uh. Anyway. Cap’n me were cruising the quad for the ladies on our way to Club A,” he started, not even needed to glance at his Steve to know he was making one of those adorable, disapproving faces and rolling his eyes. “But only Amora was out, and that girl is _scary_. Hot, but scary. I mean, I don’t mind letting her soak in the hot tub with me, but-”

“Tones?” Oh Odin. Other-Other-Steve had just given him a nickname, and his _voice_ when he did it was just… just awesome. He sounded so warm and affectionate and fond, and he was _smiling_ at him the way he’d always wanted Steve to smile at him. And again – Tones! He had a nickname!

“Yes, Captain, my Captain?”

“I’d love to hear all about your hot tub, but for right now can we stay close to the problem at hand?”

“Tch. Asking the impossible from a _Stark_.”

Both non-Dick-Steve’s turned and growled at the lone jerky Steve. _His_ Steve even stepped in front of him, hands clenched into fists like he was ready to deliver a punch of his own. Tony’s heart started to beat loudly in a double-time rhythm, and his throat felt a little dry, and his head was a bit swimmy with giddy delight. Two Steves, right there, defending him without even being asked!

“I sort of feel like I should swoon,” he mentioned to his smiling counterparts, clasping his hands to his chest. “I’m clearly the dainty princess here, being protected by two strong, loyal knights. Hey Cap, since you’re all about defending my honor now, can we finally hug it out?”

“No, Tony.” That hurt, like it always did. And like he always did, he brushed it off, stepping around Steve to head to the oldest, most tired-looking Tony – the one without the arc reactor, the one he guessed they were calling Anthony. He was fiddling with a holoscreen in an attempt to work this all out, and he figured his other self could use a bit of his amazing genius to help get the rest of them home. He could totally finish the story and work at the same time.

He never reached his destination though, because Sweet-Steve intercepted him on the way. Suddenly he was being wrapped up in warm, strong arms and being held tightly to a wonderfully muscled chest. Tony really did almost swoon at that, pleasure pulsing through him. Steve – Cap – was hugging him! Was hugging _him_! It felt perfect, and it was everything he’d ever wanted… except it wasn’t his Steve. Since it was the next-best thing, Tony still shamelessly snuggled close, hugging the man back. Maybe hiding his face in Sweet-Steve’s neck and taking a deep breath to catch his scent was going a _little_ far, but… sooooo worth it.

“Okay, I have the tech, but you have the best Steve,” he conceded to Other-Other-Tony, who was the luckiest son-of-a-bitch ever. Keeping his eyes on the smug, knowing grin on the man’s face meant he could pretend he didn’t see the flash of hurt that entered Steve’s expression, or the way his posture went completely rigid. “A+ hugs, let me tell you. Bet the rest is just… awesome.”

“Tony!” his Cap scolded as Sweet-Steve pulled back and ruffled his hair.

“Sorry. Anyway. At the academy – Avenger Academy, where my Cap is the best class president ever – we have this stuff called time fog. Usually it just kinda… hovers at the edges of campus looking ominous – ”

“- but this time it swamped us. It was weird – the stuff never comes back to the parts of campus we’ve reclaimed, but suddenly there was loads of it. I grabbed Tony so we wouldn’t be separated, and then everything went dark. We ended up here.”

“Anthony’s lab. Which means his space was likely the most stable. That’s why we were all drawn here… so go suck a cock, Dick-Steve!” Tony liked that he and Other-Other-Tony had given the jerk the same title. “And not mine, because you don’t deserve it. Whatever was going on here didn’t cause this – actually, it probably saved us. Without whatever he was doing as an anchor, who knows how long we would have just… drifted through time and space? So thanks, Anthony!”

Tired-Tony looked like someone had just smacked him in the face with a fish, and Tony kinda wanted to punch Dick-Steve and everyone else in this crappy universe – they clearly didn’t appreciate his genius. Idiots. He gave Sweet-Steve a quick punch on the shoulder, then raced over to Anth- nope, not doing that even in his own head – to Other-Tony, planting himself at the man’s side.

“Yeah, thanks! I’m too smart and pretty to be drifting forever in the dark.” He grinned up at Other-Tony, who shot him another bewildered look before smiling back tentatively.

“Happy to help – and we are very pretty, aren’t we? And I like that gauntlet of yours. Looks pretty advanced… is it part of your armor, or is it meant to be worn separately like that?” His Steve was probably all tense again, and usually Tony would be too – he didn’t like to talk about it, or think about it, or let other people know… but this was himself, sort of. Other-Tony didn’t seem to be being malicious or cruel, and really seemed impressed with the craftsmanship… and with the way _this_ place looked, that had him feeling pretty proud of himself.

So he just shrugged and brought his bare hand to the other wrist, sliding his fingers under his jacket sleeve and fiddling. “It’s meant to be separate. And it isn’t all that impressive, really. Just something that comes in handy.” Deftly, he pressed the last release, then pulled the prosthetic off and plopped it into Other-Tony’s lap, leaving only air in its place, wondering at the reactions he’d get.

The first time Tony’d pulled this shit, his Steve had just about had an aneurism – he’d freaked out for a good twenty minutes, then proceeded to become fiercely protective over the issue. Sure enough, he was almost purple-faced as he glared at the gaping Dick-Steve, as if daring him to make a remark. Silence reigned in the workshop, with both Other-Tony and Sweet-Steve staring at the empty space where his arm should be in horror, and Other-Other-Tony fixated on the (admittedly advanced and amazing) gauntlet that he’d used to replace it. Any second now… any second…

Other-Tony was the first to start laughing, slinging his arm over Tony’s shoulder at the same time and drawing him in for a side-hug. He held on as he shook with very vocal mirth, and Tony couldn’t help but grin as he grabbed the gauntlet and attached it again. Other-Other-Tony started next, and the combined sounds of the two other him’s dragged giggles out of Tony as well. Other-Other-Tony came in behind them, throwing an arm around each of them in a group hug; within moments, they were a tangle of limbs on the floor, laughing uproariously as if Tony’s stupid pun had been the funniest words ever spoken.

When he glanced over at them with tears in his eyes, both his Steve and Sweet-Steve were wearing the same expression – the one that was fondly exasperated and incredibly indulgent. It was the one that meant Steve thought he was a complete idiot and they definitely had better things to be doing, but he wasn’t going to deny Tony his fun. That set him off even harder, and he didn’t even care that Dick-Steve was glowering at him with the force of a trillion suns.

~.~.~

Once they calmed down, all three of him got to work, and it was maybe the best thing he’d ever been involved in. They all fit perfectly together, and had realized quickly that they didn’t really need to talk about what they were doing to stay on the same page of the project. Not that they were _quiet_ of course. Other-Other-Tony babbled almost as much as he did, and they kept up a rather lively commentary, voices often tumbling over each other as they talked. At first, Other-Tony had been much quieter, engaging only rarely. But with every moment of silence on the part of Dick-Steve, he seemed to grow more confident. Though compliments made him flinch and stare in disbelief, he also started to glow afterwards once he realized no one was going to jump out and declare the whole thing had been a prank.

Then Sweet-Steve brought him a smoothie and ran an absent hand down his back as he offered both praise for his work and a suggestion… and Other-Tony lit up like a hundred Christmas trees. They were all of them gone on Steve Rogers, Tony realized, but only one of them had been lucky enough to land Captain America as a partner. After that, Other-Tony joined in the conversation with glee, verbally sparring and one-upping and laughing, often looking to Sweet-Steve for approval – he got it every single time, much to the obvious distaste of Dick-Steve.

At some point, Other-Other-Tony had cottoned on to what was happening, but he didn’t look upset or threatened, or even the littlest bit jealous. Instead, he announced that Tony and ‘Anthony, fuck you Steve for making me say that name’ had getting them home well in hand, and that he was going to work on making communication devices for all of them. All of them but Dick-Steve, he’d agreed when Tony questioned him, grinning widely.

His own Steve was largely ignoring them, wandering the workshop with wide-eyes and a captivated expression. He played with Dum-E and U, asking Other-Tony about them with reverence in his hushed tones. Tony wasn’t as benevolent as Other-Other-Tony and felt a flash of jealousy as he watched Other-Tony and his Steve converse. His Steve never asked about _his_ robots, and even looked down on Tony for using them. But now he’d changed his tune because of two _arms_ , and it was super irritating, except… well. They were kind of cute, and Tony liked the way his older, more tired self spoke about them with obvious fondness and care. He also liked the way Dick-Steve was glaring impotently, having been relegated to a silent exile on the workshop couch.

He’d tried to break the silence only once – both his Steve and Sweet-Steve had shut that down in a hurry.

The various models of the Iron Man armor also seemed to fascinate his Steve, and he examined each one closely, reaching out to touch with careful fingers. He didn’t ask any questions, maybe having noticed the way Other-Tony was all but useless when any Steve got his attention. His admiration was silent, and Tony mostly lost track of him as he continued working and bantering. With luck, it’d be only a matter of another hour or so (or a bit longer if Other-Other-Tony hadn’t finished the communicators) they would all be heading home.

Then the productive atmosphere shattered around them.

“Hey, little Stevie, don’t look at… that armor is…” Other-Tony sounded like he was panicking just a little, and Tony looked up in time to see him scramble out of his seat and hurry towards his Steve. He seemed desperate to keep Steve from examining the dark little corner he’d reached, or whatever armor was tucked away there… but it was too late. Tony could tell because of the pinched, angry look on his Steve’s face – he’d already seen whatever Other-Tony wanted to hide.

“Friday? Can I have a little light over here?” his Steve asked softly. The AI that wasn’t JARVIS – and other Tony had looked so _destroyed_ when Other-Other-Tony had asked that they all dropped that line of questioning – obliged, and the corner brightened, letting them all see what his Steve could.

Unlike the other armors, this one wasn’t clean and tidy, wasn’t propped up in all its glory. It was dented, the metal twisted and ripped open in several places. The paint job was still shiny and almost new, but the helmet was absent and it was almost collapsed over on itself, barely remaining upright. Tony didn’t think he’d seen a sadder sight in all his life.

Steve seemed especially focused on the chest, where the arc reactor that powered the suit – and not Other-Tony anymore, which was so _weird_ – staring at the deep slice in the surface of the metal in something like horror. When he raised his hand to trace his fingers over the mark, they were trembling, and his face was suddenly even paler than normal. Other-Tony had come to a screeching halt, staring at the armor, color drained out of his face as well. His entire body was trembling, his eyes huge and unseeing, and his panting, gasping attempts at breathing were suddenly the loudest sounds in the workshop.

Sweet-Steve moved forward in quick, authoritative steps – for a second, Tony was sure he was going to comfort Other-Tony. Except he bypassed the man, his own expression just as fixed as both his Steve’s and Other-Tony’s. Now two shaking hands were passing over the most damaged part of the suit, horror dimming to sets of bright blue eyes, and Tony sort of thought both super-soldiers looked like they wanted to be sick. 

Other-Tony sank to his knees, now fighting to breathe and grabbing at his chest, like he thought the arc reactor should still be there. Panic attack, Tony realized distantly, dropping his blowtorch – only just remembering to turn it off first – and pulling off his protective gear. Other-Tony was having a panic attack, just from _looking_ at the armor, and shit, he didn’t ever want to face whatever villain of the week had the power to make him react this way.

He and Other-Other-Tony reached their panicking self at almost the same time. Where Tony began to talk low and soft, trying to reassure him, Other-Other-Tony wrapped the man up in a strong hug, holding him in a way that Tony thought must have been almost too-tight. That more than anything said that they really were the same person – when he was freaking out, he always had Jan hold him as tightly as she possibly could. It was the only thing that helped him center himself, that reminded him that he was still there, that he was alive and there was someone there trying to help him. When Other-Tony reacted by letting out a sigh of relief, Tony immediately joined in the hug, pressing in from behind, trying to help his other-self pull himself together.

“Steve!” Other-Other-Tony barked, getting the big lug’s attention. That was a great idea – Steve would definitely be able to hug him tight enough, and a hug from the man would probably be just the ticket to get him settled. Except Other-Tony jerked and turned a fear-filled expression on Dick-Steve, letting out a whimper that was kind of heartbreaking. At that, Sweet-Steve’s expression went thunderous, and he growled, turning on Dick-Steve… but he was beaten to the punch.

Literally, because his Steve had already launched himself across the workshop at Dick-Steve, tackling him off the couch. Dick-Steve was clearly taken by surprise, and his Steve got in several punches that looked hard enough to break bones before Dick-Steve started to fight back.

“I KNEW IT!” his Steve shouted, sounding furious and sickened and horrified all at the same time. “What did you DO to him?!” Wait, what? Did Steve think… no. No, Steve wouldn’t ever… wouldn’t ever hurt him like that. Not ever. Even when they fought, they didn’t ever _hurt_ each other. But Other-Tony was whimpering and crying into Other-Other-Tony’s shoulder, and Dick-Steve was _such_ a dick, and… shit. No.

If Steve ever attacked him enough to crack his armor like that – and over the _arc reactor_ no less – Tony knew it would destroy him.

Other-Tony’s tired, defeated attitude suddenly made so much sense.

“I didn’t do anyth-”

“Don’t lie to me!” Steve ground out as the two rolled on the floor exchanging blows. “You think I don’t know what it looks like when the shield hits something? You’re a pathetic _asshole_.”

“He tried to kill Bucky! Get off me, you little-”

Sweet-Steve waded into the fray, pulling his Steve off Dick-Steve with little effort by the collar of his jacket. Tony breathed a sigh of relief – this needed to be over, so they could help Other-Tony. Sweet-Steve would set things to rights… or not, because now he was attacking his other-self, and it was _vicious_. This wasn’t the tussle his Steve had brought to Dick-Steve – his Steve had been indignant and horrified over the thought of another him attacking his friend. Sweet-Steve was dealing with someone who’d probably (by the state of the armor) come very close to _killing his husband_ , even if it was a different Tony.

There wasn’t a hint of mercy in his face as he lashed out, forcing Dick-Steve to focus on defending himself. Every time he landed a hit, Tony winced; that had to _hurt_ , and he didn’t really like Steve getting hurt. Not even when the Steve in question was a jerk, apparently. Sweet-Steve was talking, but the words were too quiet for Tony to catch. Dick-Steve could certainly hear it though, and they seemed to be hitting him even harder than Sweet-Steve’s fists. His attention jerked away from the fight that was going down, however, when a very distinctive scent hit his nose – aftershave and deodorant, and the faint hint of something completely unique under it all. His Steve was right there next to him, and then _he_ had his arms wrapped around Other-Tony, and his mouth pressed to Other-Tony’s ear, whispering something and leaving Tony out of the loop _again_.

Telling himself that it was absolutely ridiculous to be jealous, Tony blinked away the wetness that was gathering in his eyes – the workshop was so _dusty_ – and directed his attention back to the other Steves and their battle. Sweet-Steve had used the fight to drive Dick-Steve to the elevator, and was now pushing him into it. Looking much the worse for wear, Dick-Steve stumbled in and collapsed, his face already a mess of bruises, breathing harshly and staring up at Sweet-Steve with anger and horror in his eyes. He didn’t try to get up, not even when Sweet-Steve raised his voice and started to talk to the AI running the building.

“Friday?”

“Yes Captain?”

“Get this piece of trash out of here, please. I don’t want him in the workshop ever again.”

“Can’t guarantee that Boss won’t let him in again-”

“Fine. Get him the fuck out of here for now though, before I decide killing him is the best way to keep him out permanently.” The AI complied, shutting the doors smoothly and taking Dick-Steve away. For long moments, everything was mostly quiet and still – except for Other-Tony, who was still shaking like a leaf and heaving great, broken sobs into his Steve’s shoulder. Sweet-Steve was just staring at the door, his shoulders tight and tense with anger, fists opening and closing at his sides. When he turned to look at their little group, however, all the harshness melted away, the fury draining from him and leaving only compassion in its place. “Oh, _Tony_.” he whispered, sounding as wrecked as the armor that had started all of this in the first place.

Moments later, he’d joined them on the floor. Tony and his Steve ceded both other Tony’s to him, sitting back and looking on in silence. Sweet-Steve held onto both of them like he was afraid to lose them, letting them press as close as they could, pressing kisses to both their temples as he tried to help them all calm down.

Tony bit his lower lip and looked over at his Steve – their eyes met and held, something that didn’t happen often when they weren’t fighting. He wasn’t jealous, he reminded himself, that Other-Tony had gotten both a hug and approval from Steve regarding his robots. He wasn’t jealous, and he was just grateful that his Steve had never, ever tried to actually hurt him.

He was startled to see a rosy blush rise to his Steve’s cheeks, and then those bright blue eyes dropped as he fidgeted uncertainly. Slowly, like he thought Tony wouldn’t approve, might laugh at him, he opened his arms… and Tony fell into them with a happy sigh, finally getting to hug it out with his Steve. The circumstances sucked, but he’d take what he could get.

Sweet-Steve had definitely given an A+ hug… this one, from _his_ Steve, was an A+++, with at least ten gold stars to boot. He’d had it wrong, earlier. His Steve was definitely the best Steve.

~.~.~

They got the whole story out of the shaken Other-Tony, with a little help from Friday. At the end, both his Steve and Sweet-Steve looked like they were thinking of going to find Dick-Steve to get in a few more punches, but they managed to refrain. Tony asked Friday to lower the lights around the broken armor, hiding it from view again, and Sweet-Steve gently coaxed Other-Tony into sitting with him on the couch. Soon, he had Other-Tony tucked in his lap, snoring quietly as Sweet-Steve rubbed gentle circles on his back.

“How are you not jealous?” Tony asked Other-Other-Tony soft, watching the relaxing pair as his hands expertly danced over a holoscreen.

“He loves me,” Other-Other-Tony answered carelessly, shrugging a shoulder. “It’d be silly to ask him to stop just because it’s a different me. If your Steve didn’t get so defensive about it, Winghead’d be all over you too.” That got a blushing Tony to focus exclusively on work again, because this place was confusing and as much as he felt bad for Other-Tony, he wanted the fuck out. 

It took a little longer without Other-Tony’s help – long enough that they had to take a break and feed the Steves – but he and Other-Other-Tony got their way home set and the communication devices crafted with little difficulty. His own genius was awesome enough, but with another Tony at his side, he was _unstoppable_ , and he was super-glad they’d all be able to keep talking. Saying goodbye was a surprisingly emotional affair. His Steve gave both Other-Tony and Other-Other-Tony hugs, and the later whispered something in his ear that had him blushing brightly. Tony got hugs from both of his selves, and then another amazing hug from Sweet-Steve – he almost asked for a kiss as well, but figured that would maybe be a little inappropriate.

Or maybe not, because after stepping into the portal Other-Other-Tony had opened, he looked over his shoulder… and Sweet-Steve had Other-Tony in his arms and was laying a heated kiss on his mouth, and wow. That was hot. Maybe they could stay just a little longer…

Only the fingers that curled around his own kept him from turning around and leaving. His Steve, cheeks glowing pink, was holding his hand, and he’d gotten a hug from him – that was enough to convince him to follow him, wherever he was going. The world melted around them, then went black…

And when the light returned, they were home.

They were alone in the quad, with the sun beginning to rise over the horizon. It was early, and still, and there were all the buildings that he knew so well. Soon the campus would wake up, and he’d see all his friends, go to his classes… life would just keep going, like nothing had ever happened. But it had, and he felt like he’d changed, like _things_ had changed, and… and… Reaching for his pocket with the hand Steve didn’t have in his possession, he fumbled for the communicator he’d been given, _needing_ to know that it had all been real.

Steve stopped him with a soft chuckle, shaking his head ruefully. “Give them some time, Tony. I think they might be, ah, busy for a while. We’ll call them later.”

“… yeah. Yeah. Crazy, huh? You and me together? It’s better than what was going on between me and Dick-Steve though, I guess-”

Apparently Steve had very strong feelings about that, because he grabbed hold of Tony’s shoulders and brought him around so they were standing almost chest-to-chest, gazes locked. His hold was a little too tight – there might even be bruises – but Tony found he didn’t mind. Not when Steve looked both determined and a little lost, afraid and like he’d found the answer to _everything_ in Tony’s face. 

“I will _never_ hurt you like that, Tones.” He whispered, the same affection and warmth in the nickname that Sweet-Steve had put in the word. “Not ever. I don’t care how much we fight, how angry I get at you… I need you to know that I won’t ever be like him.”

“I know that Steve. Our stupid ‘Civil War’ was nothing like that, right? That was the maddest we’ve ever been at each other, and we made it out okay. We didn’t… we didn’t really go after each other. And when it counts – when it really counts – we’re on the same side. You aren’t anything like him, Steve. We won’t be like them.”

“Never.” Steve agreed, serious and solemn, eyes boring into Tony’s very soul. “We won’t be them.” It was a vow coming from both of them, one that he was absolutely certain they could keep. No matter what the academy, or Fury, or the time fog threw at them next, they’d be okay. They’d stick together, and they’d be okay.

“… I think this is a great moment for us to hug it out, don’t you?”

“I… what? Tony, no.”

“Tony _yes_.” He flung himself at Steve and was delighted when the super soldier caught him; despite the verbal protest, he was then hugging Tony tightly, his face buried in Tony’s hair. “See? Isn’t this awesome?” he asked Steve’s chest, smiling widely.

“It’s… it’s not bad.”

“Darn tootin’.” They stayed that way for longer than Tony would have thought Steve would allow, but eventually the super soldier stepped back, running a hand through his hair.

“Tony… Tones… I… um. When I heard that the other Tony and Captain America-”

“You’re Cap, Cap.”

“I know, but that’s what I called him. He was Captain America, I was Steve, and the other one doesn’t bear thinking about. But when I heard that he and the other Tony were… they’re married Tony, and the love each other so much. You can just feel it when the look at each other, you know? And I… well. I just…”

“Hey Rogers?”

“Yeah Stark?”

“Wanna take me dancing tonight? You can teach me the Charleston.”

“You… are you asking me on a date?”

“Yeah. I don’t want to be Other-Tony and Dick-Steve-”

“ _Never_.”

“-but I do have something in common with Other-Tony. And Other-Other-Tony. I’m sort of maybe a little bit in love with Steve Rogers.”

“… yeah?”

“Yeah. For maybe a while now.” Odin’s beard, the shy smile Steve had been giving had just turned into something warmer and brighter than the sun.

“Me too. With you. I mean… I’m in love with you too. I just… I didn’t think…”

“So… it’s a date?”

“Yeah. A date.” Tony let out a whoop of triumph and began a victory dance that would have ended in another Tony-Steve hug, but when he turned back to the super soldier his hands were busy with the inter-dimensional communicator he’d been given.

“Steve, I thought you said-” he stopped himself when Steve held up a single finger, a smile still tugging at his lips.

“Hey fellas, sorry for interrupting. Just wanted to say… Tony, you were right. Me and my best guy are going dancing tonight.”

By the time the other Tony’s and Steve replied, Tony was too busy enjoying another hug to really process what they were saying. Vaguely, he thought it sounded congratulatory, and there was possibly an invitation to come see them all again, and maybe a suggestion about safe sex – which was ridiculous, because Steve was _always_ safe.

And by the time the rest of the campus came to life around them, Tony was waaaay too busy kissing and being kissed by Steve to be even a little angry at Jan when he heard the ‘click’ of her taking a picture of the pair of them to post online.

**Author's Note:**

> And there we go! Not completely happy with it, and I may revisit the concept at some point.
> 
> Come visit me on [Tumblr](http://tahlreth.tumblr.com/) maybe? <33


End file.
